Seven Castles

Facial Painting

                                      

May 6, 2008

 

Facial painting, the colorful dressing on actors' faces, is formed through dramatic artists' long-term practice and their understanding and judgment of the roles in plays. By using transformable and exaggerated figures, professional spectators would easily tell the characteristic of a role. In this way, it is called "the picture of hearts". There are certain formats of the facial painting in the aspect of color, type and shape. Usually, eyes, foreheads and cheeks are painted like wings of butterflies, swallows and bats.

 

The origin of facial painting can be traced back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties Period more than 1,400 years ago when leading actors used to wear masks. As the operatic arts developed performers gradually took off their masks and painted colorful patterns on their faces instead since it was difficult to show facial expressions behind a mask.

 

During the heyday of Peking Opera in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), performers carefully studied facial structures and analyzed the personalities and appropriate facial characteristics of operatic characters. Various colors were used to identify the roles of the performers and to reveal a character's moral and spiritual roles, as well as other defining characteristics. Essentially, the unique makeup allows characters on stage to reveal them voicelessly.

 

In Peking Opera, facial painting is the most eye-catching element. Its colors are of great importance in revealing the age, profession and personality of a character. Originally, only three colors were used - red, white and black - each with its symbolic meaning. Red is the color of loyalty, integrity and courage; black suggests a serious and taciturn disposition, including strength and roughness; white reveals a crafty and suspicious character. Later, other colors were gradually incorporated, such as purple - the symbol of solemnity, serenity and a sense of justice; yellow, representing intelligence and calculation or bravery when used in warrior roles; blue shows uprightness and stubbornness; green indicates bravery and irascibility; and gold and silver are sometimes used on the faces of immortals, demons and monsters. Different colors can also distinguish nobility from the common folk, goodness from evil or loyalty from treachery.

 

Although painted faces are extremely stylized in their colors and patterns, no two painted faces are alike. For example, there are more than 100 face painting styles designed for Xiang Yu, the ruler of the Western Han Dynasty, and each one is very different.

 

Facial painting is worth appreciating for its artistic value. It functions not only as an adjunct to entertainment but also as part of a cultural language that acts as a bridge between the actors and the audience. Painted faces not only are used in facial make-up on the stage, but also have become a popular theme in Chinese folk art. Paper-painted faces made by artists sometimes look even more beautiful than those used on stage. In recent years, painted faces have developed into an independent art in China.

【作者: zhangliping】【访问统计:】【2008年05月6日 星期二 05:29】【注册】【打印】